Chorley

Chorley's population grew in the decade to 2011. At the same time there were changes in housing tenure, religion and health.

The population reached nearly 110,000

Between the last two censuses, the population of Chorley increased by 6.7%, from just over 100,000 to 107,000.

The addition of just over 6,700 people means this area's population increased at a slower rate than the total population of England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Chorley was home to, on average, 3.8 people per football pitch-sized piece of land (about 7,140 square metres).

Population density was similar to the average across the North West

Population density (usual residents per 7,140 square metres) across the North West, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

Rise in private renting

Census 2011 data also show a housing tenure change in Chorley.

The percentage of households in Chorley that rented privately increased from 4.8% in 2001 to 10% in 2011.

In 2011, just over one in eight (13%) households lived in social housing, compared with 14% in 2001. The percentage of Chorley households that owner their home decreased from 79% to 75%.

The proportion of privately rented homes increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the North West (from 8.5% in 2001 to 15% in 2011). Across England, the proportion increased from 9.9% to 17%.

Private renting in Chorley increased by 5.4 percentage points

Percentage of households in Chorley, the North West and England that rented privately, March 2001 and March 2011

Religion in Chorley

The number of people in Chorley that described themselves as Christian increased from about 84,000 in 2001 to just under 81,000 in 2011. This represents a change from 84% to 75% of the local population.

The percentage decreased by less than the average across the North West (from 78% to 67%) and the average across England (from 72% to 59%).

The number of people in Chorley that described themselves as having no religion increased from about 9,100 in 2001 to just over 18,000 in 2011 (from 9.1% to 17%). The number of people who did not disclose their religious affiliation increased from about 5,700 to about 6,000. Both of these figures represented about 5.6% of the total population at the time of the 2001 and 2011 censuses.

About 1,100 people (0.6%) said they were Muslim, up from just under 650 in 2001 (1.1%).

There are many factors that can cause changes to the religious profile of an area, such as migration and varying fertility rates between religious groups. Changes may also be caused by differences in the way individuals choose to self-identify between censuses.

The population who identified as Christian in Chorley decreased by 8.7 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, North West and Chorley by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of Chorley residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 9.6% to 5.5% in the decade to 2011.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

In 2011, just over 8 in 10 (81%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 69% in 2001. The percentage of Chorley residents that described their health as fair decreased from 21% to 13%.

The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the North West (from 11% in 2001 to 6.8% in 2011). Across England, the proportion fell from 9.1% to 5.5%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Chorley decreased by 4.1 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Chorley, the North West and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

Fewer people worked long hours

The percentage of employed people in Chorley working more than 49 hours in the week before the census decreased from 13% to 9.9% between the last two censuses.

In 2011, just over 1 in 40 (2.8%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) said they had worked less than 16 hours the previous week, compared with 1.6% in 2001.

The proportion of people working long hours fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the North West (from 11% in 2001 to 8.3% in 2011). Across England, the proportion fell from 13% to 10%.

Long hour working in Chorley decreased by 3.6 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Chorley, the North West and England that said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

Ethnicity in Chorley

The number of people in Chorley from the White ethnic groups increased from just over 98,000 in 2001 to about 100,000 in 2011. However, as a percentage of the total population, this represented a decrease from 98% to 97%.

The percentage decreased by less than the average across the North West (from 94% to 90%) and the average across England (from 91% to 85%).

The number of people in Chorley from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups increased from just over 1,100 in 2001 to just over 1,700 in 2011 (from 1.1% to 1.6%). The number of residents from Mixed/multiple ethnic groups (White and Asian, White and Black African, White and Black Caribbean or Other Mixed) increased from about 590 to just over 1,000 (from 0.6% to 1.0%).

Just over 400 people (0.3%) said they were from the Black, Black British, Caribbean or African ethnic groups, up from about 280 in 2001 (0.4%).

There are many factors that can cause changes to the ethnic profile of an area, such as migration and varying fertility rates between ethnic groups. Changes may also be caused by differences in the way individuals choose to self-identify between censuses.

The population from the White ethnic groups in Chorley remained close to 97%

Percentage of usual residents in England, North West and Chorley by ethnicity, March 2001 and March 2011

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Area report data

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